The conference focused on North- and West-African countries and aimed to raise awareness on the death penalty issue among participants and to help design political and legal strategies for abolition. Participants also examined the prospect of adopting an additional protocol on the death penalty to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Around 50 people from 15 countries in the region came to take part in the debates. Over four days, plenary sessions and workshops targeted the death penalty in Africa and the means to achieve abolition.

Teaching abolition

The conference emphasised the need to inform and educate the population of the region to fast-track abolition. In that respect, several participants referred to the educational guide “Teaching abolition” published by the World Coalition on World Day Against the Death Penalty, October 10, 2009.
Part of the debates also focused on the role of religion in the region, as it can boost abolitionist efforts in some countries and hinder them in others.

A continental conference involving experts and officials from African Union member states will follow the Kigali and Cotonou regional meetings.

African Commissioner Sylvie Kayitesi, who chairs the working group, is planning to use that opportunity to present African heads of State and government with a draft additional protocol on the death penalty to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Such a move would give Africa a chance to adopt a binding instrument calling for the abolition of the death penalty.